Video camera and video signal reproducing apparatus with shake detection and correction operation

• US 5,502,484 A
• Filed: 07/14/1995
• Issued: 03/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okada, Miyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): GARBER, WENDY RAE
• Application Number:
  US08/502,584
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208, 348/240, 348/358, 348/347
• US Class Current: 348/208.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6815 by distinguishing pan or tilt from motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory

Abstract

A video camera includes a lens for collecting a light from an object to be photographed; an image pickup device for converting the light collected by the lens into an electric signal; an analog to digital converting circuit for converting the electric signal from the image pickup device into a digital signal; a memory circuit for storing the digital signal obtained by the analog to digital conversion; a shake detector for detecting a shake of the video camera; calculating unit for obtaining a correction amount from an output signal of the shake detector; a correcting unit for correcting a shake of an image accompanied with a slight shake of a body of the video camera on the basis of an output signal of the calculating means; a zoom system for enlarging or reducing the object to be photographed; and a control unit for changing the correcting unit in accordance with a change of zoom of the zoom system.

Claims

1. A video camera comprising:

lens means for collecting light from an object to be photographed;

an image pickup device for converting the light collected by said lens means into an electric signal;

an analog to digital converting circuit for converting the electric signal from said image pickup device into a digital signal;

a memory circuit for storing the digital signal produced by said analog to digital converting circuit;

shake detecting means for detecting a shake of the video camera;

calculating means for obtaining a correction amount from an output signal of said shake detecting means and for generating an optical control signal and an electronic control signal;

optical correcting means responsive to said optical control signal for correcting a shake of an image caused by the shake of the video camera up to a predetermined limit;

optical zoom means included in said lens means for enlarging or reducing the object to be photographed; and

electronic zoom means for enlarging or reducing the object to be photographed represented by said digital signal from said analog to digital converting circuit and for correcting a portion of the shake that exceeds the predetermined limit in response to said electronic control signal.

2. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein said optical zoom means comprises a lens and said electronic zoom means performs an electrical process on signals output from said memory circuit.

3. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein said optical zoom means and said electronic zoom means are controlled so that said optical zoom means executes a zooming operation first and said electronic zoom means executes a zooming operation when a zoom amount by said optical zoom means reaches a maximum zoom.

4. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein a window for a predetermined focus adjustment is set in said image pickup device and the window is moved in response to operation of said optical zoom means.

5. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein the output of said memory circuit is supplied to said electronic zoom means for performing hand shake correction.

6. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein said electronic zoom means performs a hand shake correction in the horizontal direction by shifting a read-out position in one line of said memory circuit.

7. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup device has an image pickup area larger than an image display area, and said optical correcting means performs a hand shake correction in the horizontal and vertical directions by changing a read-out position in the horizontal and vertical directions in the image pickup area.

8. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein said shake detecting means comprises angular sensors which detect motion of the video camera in the vertical and horizontal directions.

9. The video camera according to claim 8, wherein said calculating means comprises a gain adjusting circuit for performing a negative adjustment of gain for output signals obtained from said angular sensors.

10. The video camera according to claim 9, wherein said gain adjusting circuit comprises a multiplying circuit for adjusting a variation in the output of said angular sensors.

11. The video camera according to claim 10, wherein said gain adjusting circuit further comprises a coring circuit for eliminating noise in an output signal of said multiplying circuit.

12. The video camera according to claim 11, wherein said gain adjusting circuit further comprises a low pass filter circuit for converting angular velocity information of an output signal of said coring circuit into angular information.

13. The video camera according to claim 12, wherein said gain adjusting circuit further comprises a limiter circuit for limiting an amplitude of an output signal of said low pass filter.

14. A video camera comprising:

lens means for collecting light from an object to be photographed;

an image pickup device for converting the light collected by said lens means into an electric signal;

an analog to digital converting circuit for converting the electric signal from said image pickup device into a digital signal;

a memory circuit for storing the digital signal produced by said analog to digital converting circuit;

shake detecting means for detecting a shake of the video camera;

calculating means for obtaining a correction amount from an output signal of said shake detecting means and for generating an optical control signal and an electronic control signal;

optical correcting means responsive to said optical control signal for correcting a shake of an image caused by the shake of the video camera up to a predetermined limit;

optical zoom means included in said lens means for enlarging or reducing the object to be photographed; and

electronic zoom means for enlarging or reducing the object to be photographed and for correcting a portion of the shake that exceeds the predetermined limit in response to said electronic control signal;

wherein said calculating means comprises a first limiter circuit that limits the correction amount in accordance with the predetermined limit.

15. The video camera according to claim 14, wherein said first limiter circuit performs a nonlinear process for changing a limiting amount.

16. The video camera according to claim 14, wherein said shake detecting means generates a panning speed signal that controls said first limiter circuit so that the limiting amount is changed in response thereto.

17. The video camera according to claim 14, wherein said first limiter circuit is controlled so that the limiting amount is changed in response to zoom amounts of said optical and electronic zoom means.

18. The video camera according to claim 17, wherein said electronic zoom means performs an electrical process on signals output from said memory circuit.

19. The video camera according to claim 18, wherein said zoom means is controlled so that said optical zoom operates first and said electronic zoom operates when a zoom amount by said optical zoom reaches its maximum.

20. The video camera according to claim 14, wherein a window for a predetermined focus adjustment is set in said image pickup device and the window is moved in response to operation of said optical zoom means.

21. The video camera according to claim 18, wherein the output of said memory circuit is supplied to said electronic zoom means for performing hand shake correction.

22. The video camera according to claim 18, wherein said electronic zoom means performs a hand shake correction operation in the horizontal direction by shifting a read-out position in one line of said memory circuit.

23. The video camera according to claim 18, wherein said image pickup device has an image pickup area larger than an image display area, and said optical correction means performs a hand shake correction in the horizontal and vertical directions by changing a read-out position in the horizontal and vertical directions in the image pickup area.

24. The video camera according to claim 14, wherein said shake detecting means comprises angular sensors which detect motion of the video camera in the vertical and horizontal directions.

25. The video camera according to claim 24, wherein said calculating means comprises a gain adjusting circuit for performing a negative adjustment of gain for output signals obtained from said angular sensors.

26. The video camera according to claim 25, wherein said gain adjusting circuit comprises a multiplying circuit for adjusting a variation in the output of said angular sensors.

27. The video camera according to claim 26, wherein said gain adjusting circuit further comprises a coring circuit for eliminating noise in an output signal of said multiplying circuit.

28. The video camera according to claim 27, wherein said gain adjusting circuit further comprises a low pass filter circuit for converting angular velocity information of an output signal of said coring circuit into angular information.

29. The video camera according to claim 28, wherein said gain adjusting circuit further comprises a second limiter circuit for limiting an amplitude of an output signal of said low pass filter.